Evaluating and using Information

1. Introduction

Effectively evaluating information is one of the key skills that we are encouraging you to develop in this module.

Let's start in a very general way by thinking about how different academic disciplines approach and use information.

• Is there a single approach which can be used to evaluate information in all subjects?
• Can certain information always be regarded as inherently unsuitable for academic study?
• And can complex theories and ideas ever be simply expressed, or simple ideas ever become over-complicated because of poor writing?

EVALUATING INFORMATION QUIZ

Test your ability to evaluate information in this quiz. The first question is intended for all QMUL students; the other questions relate to specific subjects, but even if, for example, you're not a Chemistry student, have a go at answering Question 2 - we hope that the feedback we give will help you think more widely about the complex nature of information and its uses.

Why not discuss the matter with friends; you may find that people studying other subjects have a rather different take on the matter!

Need help or advice about anything on this page?  Contact Academic Skills Centre  

2. Being critical

Questions like "who", "what" and "why" are known as comprehension questions. This type of questions are important because they help clarify your understanding of what it is you’re reading and prompt you to make sure you’re using an appropriate academic source.

But to be critical when you’re using information, you’ll also need to ask yourself analytical questions and evaluative questions while you read.

Analytical questions help deepen your understanding of the key parts of a text and how they all fit together.

Examples of analytical questions include…

• What framework has the author chosen?
• Why have they chosen this framework?
• What method are they using and why?
• Is their argument logically consistent?
• Is all of the information correct?

Evaluative questions help you to think about the underlying validity of the claims in a text and their wider significance.

Examples of evaluative questions include…

• Is the information they cite the most relevant for understanding the topic?
• Is the author’s framework the best way of interpreting the material?
• How does the author’s framework/methods compare to those of other authors?
• What are the implications of the their findings?
• What can be learnt from this?

Analytical and evaluative questions prompt you to reflect on what you think about the topic you’re researching.

Getting into the habit of asking these questions while you read is an important part of using information critically.

And it will help you feel more ready to express your own ideas when it comes time for you to write!

Want to get into the habit of being critical at all stages of your reading? Use our Worksheet for Reading Critically.

Need help or advice about anything on this page?  Contact Academic Skills Centre  

2.1. Evaluation activity

Need help or advice about anything on this page?  Contact Academic Skills Centre  

3. How do I know that I have found the information that I need?

• Who?
• What?
• Why?
• When? 
• Relevant?

Turn over each of the cards below to find out more:

Check out this short animated introduction to evaluating information: it will help you memorise the five points mentioned above until they have become second nature.

Need help or advice about anything on this page?  Contact Academic Skills Centre  

4. Plagiarism introduction

Once you have gathered together a sufficient amount of information from sources that you judge to be reliable you then have to actually write your essay. 

Producing good quality academic writing is something that most people have to learn: critiquing the work of others, constructing a coherent and plausible argument and writing well are specific skills that are supported by our colleagues in the Academic Skills Team.

It is important that the coursework you produce reflects Queen Mary's core values: the scholarship of our staffand students is fundamentally underpinned by integrity and honesty. Plagiarism is a word that you may have heard of and feel scared by: understanding plagiarism will help you overcome these fears. 

Fully understanding what is - and what is not - plagiarism takes time. So let's get going...

How did you do? Move on to the next page to learn much more about plagiarism and how to avoid it.

Need help or advice about anything on this page?  Contact Academic Skills Centre  

4.1. Plagiarism and how to avoid it

The short video below introduces the basics of plagiarism:

When marking essays and coursework, academics at Queen Mary use powerful software called Turnitin to check that their students have not taken material from books, journals and other publications without due acknowledgement. Turnitin also checks to ensure that students have not plagiarised the work of other students or lifted material straight from the Internet.

Students who are caught plagiarising other people's work face penalties that could have far-reaching effects.

So plagiarism is a very serious matter; but don't avoid it simply out of fear of the disciplinary consequences; avoid it because you seek to produce the best quality academic work you possibly can.

Once you have grasped the principles of correct source use and the citation style recommended by your department (see the next section of this module for more on citation styles) you can feel confident that you are steering clear of plagiarism.

Try the activity on the next page to further test your understanding.

Need help or advice about anything on this page?  Contact Academic Skills Centre  

4.2. Plagiarism activity

Have a look at the text below and the three examples of student writing, which attempt to integrate the passages into their own work. 

See what each student has written below

5. Artificial Intelligence

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms exploded in 2023. ChatGPT was followed quickly by a large number of text generating tools, alongside software that creates original images (such as Dall-E 2), presentations or computer code. 

AI has, of course, been around for some time and we often use it without realising. However, it is becoming an increasingly important part of modern society and has begun to revolutionise the way we work, communicate, and learn.

What is Generative AI and how does it work?

Generative AI tools create content based on patterns, generating reasonably accurate, plausible-sounding (or looking) responses to prompts on a wide range of topics.

Limitations of Generative AI

• Generative AI tools are unable to access information specific to your particular course or module at Queen Mary, nor do they have access to journals and resources that are available to you via Queen Mary Library Services, so they will only make use of generally available information.
• At the time of writing, most Generative AI tools do not retrieve information from ‘live’ online sources, meaning that information from the last few months is not included.
• Generative AI can create ‘hallucinations’ or fake data or information that is convincing but not based on reality. Furthermore, it can produce fake references or citations which could lead to academic misconduct (Nature, February 2023). As soon as ChatGPT was launched, stories started to appear about it passing exams (NBC, 23 Jan 2023). However, these platforms do not ‘think’ or create original ideas.

Ethical issues

• Discussion about Generative AI tools is just one part of much wider concerns about the development and control of AI in society.
• Because Generative AI systems are informed by existing texts or other datasets they, like other algorithm-based tools such as internet search engines, reproduce the biases contained within the source material.
• Issues around AI generated content go beyond text. The growth in ‘deep fake’ images and videos require you to develop your information literacy skills to evaluate the authenticity of all sources.

So, can you use Generative AI in your assignments at university? See link to FAQ's for more information:  

6. It's Quiz Time!

We've provided you with a lot of practical guidance in this section of the module that will improve your skills around using information effectively. Of course the more you apply the techniques outlined here the more you will improve: practice makes perfect.

See how much you can remember by trying out this quiz: